


Book One: Of the Fall of Ba Sing Se, Good Tea and Spiritual Interference

by Izamania



Series: The Gift of Spirits is Often Cruel [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, I made a thing with an actual plot and dialogue, I’m using google translate for everything, Like A Lot A Lot, Spirits, There will be fluff, and Japanese, and espionage, and rebellion, but there’s gonna be mandarin, in this as well as other languages, look at me, me over describing stuff, ozai (Avatar) is a terrible parent, so I only speak English and gcse french, so if you’re a native speaker I’m really sorry, so much stuff, spirits show up a lot in this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24822625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izamania/pseuds/Izamania
Summary: As the sands of time fall away, desperation grows.Ozai is defeated but the war is not over.Azula is crazy, and determined to follow in her fathers footsteps.The Avatar is perhaps the least effective spiritual bridge in five hundred years.And in the West, something stirs...
Series: The Gift of Spirits is Often Cruel [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795444
Kudos: 7





	Book One: Of the Fall of Ba Sing Se, Good Tea and Spiritual Interference

**Author's Note:**

> OOoooooh
> 
> I’m back!!!!
> 
> This will be updated really slowly, and because the first few chapters are all prologues, they will be short, but all the chapter-y chapters will be at least 3k.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a collection of a lot of firsts for me so yh.... no beta, but a lot of editing...  
> I have been inspired by a lot and I’ll probs list everything that has inspired me later on...

Sokka was scared. Sort of. Maybe. Yeah he was terrified. 

It's one thing to train and work your way across the world knowing that one day you’re gonna have to face the Fire Lord, but it’s another thing entirely to stand in a warship devoid of anyone except yourself, your little sister who  _ really shouldn't _ be fighting a war and the twelve year old bind girl who can't  _ see _ . Oh and nobody knows where the Avatar is.

Yay.

So terrified. Yep that's a feeling that Sokka was feeling right about now.

The messenger hawk that he had  stolen liberated from the Commanders? Captains? office (Hawky the Third) was glaring at him in a way that very strongly suggested that it was looking forward to Sokka eyeballs for dinner, and biting him whenever he went near; like it could tell that he wasn’t a good megalomaniac imperialist Fire Nation soldier. Which he wasn’t. Duh.

The aforementioned sister was currently bending water out of thin air. Literally. And clearly Sokka hadn’t paid enough attention to whatever she learnt with creepy Hama,  _ because how was she doing that _ and more importantly;  _ did she still remember him being sexist last night _ .

Probably.

Welp, the terror factor just went up by five hundred. And this armour was  _ really heavy _ , distractingly so. Like how did you do anything, let alone try to take over the world in armour this heavy.

Aaand now Sokka was thinking about how they had dumped an entire warship of people into the sea. In the middle of nowhere. With obnoxiously heavy armour.

And if there was one thing going on a fun adventure time romp through the Fire Nation before and after the rather disastrous invasion had taught Sokka, it was that not all the Fire Nation people were evil. Freakishly spice loving yeah. A little racist and obsessed with honour sure. But the Northern Water Tribe was previously unknown levels of sexist and Sokka had to admit that both tribes held a push-off-iceberg-first-ask-questions-later mentality towards anyone not in the tribe.

So he had probably doomed the equivalent of several small villages to a nice drown-ey death.

Oh, cool, he was hyperventilating now.

“You good Snoozles?” Toph actually sounded concerned in his general direction which was...sweet. Kinda. She still liked throwing rocks at him.

“Yep. Fine A-OK. Nothing wrong here.” Hyperventilating  _ and _ rambling. Joy. His  _ little sister _ was holding up better than he was. And he was the Man of the group. Actually that was probably Toph. He hadn’t participated in and won shady underground fighting competitions since... ever. Wow he...needed to get out more.

Katara had bent a lot of water together and was preparing to hurl it at the next ship. Like a bridge! A dangerous slippery bridge! With no railings! And firebenders on the other side!

Such. Incredible. Fun.

And look; there goes his  _ incredibly underage sister _ charging into danger, followed gingerly by the other incredibly underage child shuffling across the ice bridge of Certain Doom.

Sokka gulped, followed nervously and wished Suki was there so she could be casually badass and distract him from the watery doom below. Or anyone really. Koh he’d take Crazy Blue and her entourage.

Without anyone at the wheel or stoking the engines or whatever engineers do, the ship they just left shuddered and began to drift away. The ice bridge groaned nervously before paling with an almost shattered glass effect of how it was cracking under strain.

_ Probably because we threw all the engineers into the sea…Fuck, Toph! _

Sokka charged forward, grabbed the tiny blind child who promptly yelled in shock and anger,  _ sorry Toph please don’t kill me  _ and ran to the other ship to go join his sister in kicking ass. Which was a lot less fun up close and personal.

He slashed upward with space sword, caught one of the soldiers helmets and  _ somehow _ managed to swipe it off and sent it flying over the side before a nice sharp spear was poking him.

Did he mention how  _ incredibly fun  _ this day was yet?

The soldier, who was a woman, but  _ boy _ did she know how to stab stuff with that spear, was scowling at him in a way that seemed to say:  _ stay still so I can poke holes in you _ . That or:  _ I really hate my job _ .

Sokka kinda hoped it was the first one just so he could feel marginally better about what he was about to do.

He stepped forward, doged the spear and spun out with his sword, cutting into the woman's arm. She cried out and Sokka fought the urge to vomit at the way the bone had snapped under his sword because oh look, more soldiers!

This day just kept getting better and better.

And  _ where was Aang? _

-|-

Aang, as a matter of fact, was underwater, with air straining at his cheeks. 

He couldn’t bend, and hadn’t been near whichever scary lady ‘Ty Lee’ was, so it was a fairly sure sign that he was in the spirit world.

Not a good one though considering how little air he had left.

_ Oh, air floats up! If I know which way is up then I can swim to the surface! _

Jubilant, Aang let a small puff of air escape then immediately readied himself to follow it to the surface. Only, it...  _ didn’t _ .

It floated in line with his face, completely stationary, and he poked a bubble curiously. It exploded out into smaller silvery bubbles of air, and Aang laughed delightedly, before remembering that he was 

a)underwater and

  1. b) meant to be fighting the Fire Lord like _now_.



His eyes widened as panic set in and he swirled around from the stationary bubbles and frantically began swimming in what he hoped was up.

A giggle reverberated through the water, and Aang turned sharply, only to face Yue, as she floated calmly, one hand masking her mouth.

“Eh ha ha...Yue?” Aang laughed nervously.

Yue curtsied; “Avatar. It is good to see you again.”

“Why am I here? N-not that I have anything against you, but I’m meant to fight the Fire Lord now?” He gestured towards what he hoped was up.

“I have come to warn you Avatar. There is a change coming, and it will doom the world.” Yue’s moonlight voice turned suddenly serious.

“How can I stop it?”

“You could kill the last dragons, destroy the Fire Nation - but then there is still a change. The world would continue in its cycle of wars and emperors and peacemakers as it is now.” Yue paused briefly, looking at Aang’s downfallen face. “Truly Avatar, I cannot help you.”

“But you’re  _ Tui _ ! The moon spirit! The first waterbender!”

“Yes Avatar, but you had wronged one who I love long ago, and just as the ocean remembers, the moon watches. It is beyond my power to see into the certain future, and the past prevents me from telling you of what will almost certainly happen.”

“What did  _ I _ do?” Aang exclaimed incredulously.

“Avatar Aang did nothing. Avatar Lin Mei however...” Yue trailed off, wincing slightly and resting a hand on her throat. “At any rate, I cannot tell you, and it is not truly my story to tell. I did not anger too much then, and I cannot be angry at Aang for something Aang has not done. I came only to warn you as a favour from La.”

Yue stopped then, and smiled angelically at Aang. Who was really confused. And still meant to be fighting the Fire Lord.

“Can I go back now? It is just that I really should be fighting the Fire Lord. And why can’t you talk about Avatar Lin Mei?”

“Avatar Aang. What happened  _ happened _ . It is neither the here nor now to talk of that. One who misses you and your requests wants to talk, and I only came to warn you of what is to be.” Yue sounded slightly cross, and Aang awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and tried for an awkward smile.

The smile was, in retrospect, a mistake; because he then fell through the ocean and into the sky, landing on a cool floor hard and coughing up saltwater. 

Autumn leaves swirled and blew around, forming one of the larger courtyards of the Southern Air Temple. A woman knelt in the turquoise centre pool, sobbing quietly. She was kneeling on a slightly raised dais, slightly off centre, as if there was meant to be another by her side. 

“Ma’am?” Aang tried cautiously.

_ autumn comes cruel my love is gone has been fading for years my love all my children have left and gone my love dead bones turned to ash scattered on air my love one child recognises me still my love but you are gone _

The woman turned. Her hair was cut in the middle of her scalp, and braided into a long rope with autumn leaves and dried flowers decorating it.

_ you call me qiūtiān de nǚshì lady of autumn i have lost what i hold dear last child of my temples _

Aang’s eyes widened and he bowed low.

_ my love is not dead only gone he is forgotten and unprayed to you alone ask me to allow you to bend my breezes and storms to your will _

Aang recalled the etiquette lessons he had always tried to skip: “Autumn Lady. It is an honour.” 

_ you are the last who prays to me now my temples have been empty now for years save from the east where they laid the ghosts to rest aang you have lived as yangchen and pemba and all those that came before you have lived and prayed at the east south north west you  _ must _ do so again _

Qiūtiān De Nǚshì walked on the air just above the water to embrace Aang tightly. She smelt like pine needles and sea air, crisp apples and berries, and Aang’s eyes watered with the memory of the lower terraces in autumn; when the wind carried the scent of pine and the sea to the orchards filled with ripe fruit. 

_ you are the last and if you call i will always answer i am sorry i can do little more _

Her not-voice was like leaves dancing in the gusts of wind that swirled and rolled themselves into little knots, demanding attention.

Aang felt his eyes tear up slightly as he leant into the hug unashamedly.

_ I give you a gift for your battle last child _

She kissed him lightly on the forehead and Aang’s eyes widened as he fell backwards into a memory that was not his.

_ He was watching anxiously, Yeshi standing by his side, her hands twisting anxiously and belaying her vicious streak as she stared out over the horizon, where a plume of dust rose into the air, fronted by Chin’s banner. _

_ “Avatar Kyoshi will come.” Elder Nguyễn whispered, her voice cracking against the winds. “She has to come.” _

_ Yeshi snorted waspishly in response, garnering a sharp look from the elder. _

_ He laughed bitterly and twisted the air in his hands absently, stopping at Nguyễn’s disapproving look. _

_ “My apologies Elder.” _

_ The nun nodded once and left with a swishing of orange and yellow skirts, taking the heavy scent of dried rose and honey with her. _

_ “Why are you here anyway?” Yeshi asked invasively. “Xia-Xo says you killed someone. Broke your  _ vows _.” _

_ He bristled. _

_ “I didn’t mean to!” _

_ Yeshi grinned widely, showing her sharp canines. _

_ “Good for you. Lady I hate healing! It’s all ‘oh stay still so I can pretend to know what I’m doing as I shove bandages on it’.” Yeshi adopted a whining high voice in mockery. _

_ Kiyia screeched with panic, knitting her hands into her loose shawl, at the sight of the men trekking up towards the temple, injured and battered. _

_ He ran into the hall and watched as the younger acolytes assisted them into the healing wings.  _

_ “Kiyia?” He questioned. _

_ “I haven't passed the final exams and now look! Lady that Chin is a barbarian! Why won’t Avatar Kyoshi intervene?”  _

_ “Kiyia, calm down. You’re the best healer here, and I’m sure Kyoshi is going to stop him.” He soothed anxiously. _

_ “Oh, like I need your advice Lý. Murderer!” Kiyia flounced off dramatically, leaving him standing on the terrace alone, subconsciously twisting air through his hands in the way that pulled it from living lungs. _

_ “Yeshi!” He called urgently, looking down at the man below him, leg crushed by one of Chin’s barbaric earthbenders. “Yeshi, do we have any poppy tea left?” _

_ Yeshi hurried over, her dark hair wet with sweat and grey eyes angry. _

_ “No - Kiyia used the last of it.” Yeshi snapped before rushing off with bandages. ”Lord and Lady I hate this!” _

_ He scowled and looked back at the crushed leg. _

_ The man had been trying to flee, and was caught in a trap set up by Chin’s men. The earth had moved, grinding against skin and bone, and destroying the leg beyond all repair. _

_ He thought back to medical school, and what his teacher had said: ‘Every element has it’s unblockable attack. Water has bloodbending, Earth, as some of my contemporaries call it, bone bending, Fire has lightning and Air has the forbidden methods.’ _

_ He twisted his hands, remembering the technique that had forced him out of the Northern Air Temple, and  _ pulled _. _

_ The air flowed out of the man's lungs, and his eyes rolled back, unconscious. _

Aang gasped back into consciousness, floating on the surface of the sea, looking up at the airships overhead, and even as one came screaming towards the sea, trailing smoke and fire, the weight of the knowledge gifted to him by Qiūtiān De Nǚshì was pressing down on him.

_ Airbenders shouldn’t use bending to hurt anyone who can’t dodge. But I - Lý, did. _

-|-

The soldiers corralling him were, very handily, taken out by the pre-teen metalbending menace. Mostly. Two were still standing, spears clutched nervously as their friends (colleagues?) hit the deck, fell off the deck and hit the ocean in quick succession.

_ Tui and La Toph! _

Which left Sokka holding a sword he had a week or so of training with, facing off against three soldiers, one of whom was the woman from earlier.

With a suitably enraged roar, one charged forward, and Sokka blinked in panic before darting out of the way and helping the soldier over the railing. The woman stepped forward and punched out a stream of fire that caught at his borrowed armour before screaming as a water whip hit the small of her back and she fell against the floor limply.

The ship juddered ominously and a voice crackled in over the loudspeaker.

“Third Air Corps to abandon ship by order of Air Commodore Akizuki. Repeat: Third Air Corps to abandon ship immediately.” 

The last soldier whipped his head from Toph to Sokka to Katara before dropping his spear and running to the railings and leaping off them dramatically.

“What.” Said Toph.

It was, Sokka thought, an accurate summary of his day.

The ship continued it’s ominous juddering even as thick black smoke began to pour out from inside.

“What.” He was echoed by Katara.

“They’re blowing up this ship.” Toph commented, eyes wider than normal.

“WHAT?” Like true siblings, Sokka and Katara yelled in perfect synchronization.

“Yeah, so we should get off like  _ now _ Sugar Queen.”

“ _ I’m trying Toph! _ ” 

Oof, that was the shut-up-or-get-iced voice.

She lifted her hands and swirled them around, drawing water vapour to her and lashed out frantically. “We’re too far away!”

Tendrils of water scraped at the base of the airship 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Toph yelled now, digging her feet into the metal floor.

“I mean,  _ we’re too far away _ .”

“...what do we do?” Toph asked in a very quiet, un-Toph voice and Sokka was rather unpleasantly reminded that she was a twelve year old blind girl on a flying ship that was falling, and this was the kicker here,  _ who couldn't swim _ .

Sokka’s rather treacherous brain immediately thought back to the first ship with all its soldiers, and how they fell in their heavy armour into the cold ocean below, miles from land and couldn’t help but picture Katara and Toph falling into the ocean in place of the Fire Nation soldiers.

  
  


“If it was closer, then I could bend the ocean to slow us, but at the rate we’re falling...I...I don’t think I can do it.” Katara’s voice was softly terrified.

“...If we get to the control centre then...then...” Toph quavered. “There  _ has _ to be something we can do.”

The ocean was fast approaching, even as the airship screeched the sound of tortured steel, and broke in half, one part flying off from where it had hit another, lower, airship.

Sokka swore with feeling and ran to the side of the airship, looking at the fast approaching water and the very last airship below them.

“Katara, can you move people with your magic water?”

“Yeah. It’s draining though and quite hard. Why?”

“See that ship below us? We’re getting on it.”

It said quite a lot that Katara didn't even try to argue with him - she just directed Toph and him to grab her, whipped the water around her in preparation for the jump and waited for the few agonising seconds as the wind screamed around them and steel groaned.

The airship came in sight and Katara  _ pushed _ the water, and them in it, over the side of the airship; for a horrible second they floated in the air, detached from all moorings before Katara latched onto a rope and they went screaming towards the firebender-y deck. 

_ Ohhh thank Tui-Yue and La _

There was a moment of silence as the soldiers stared at the three teenagers who just crash landed onto their nice, created to take over the world, airship. The teenagers stared back.

“Satomi, Du, left flank NOW!” One of the soldiers roared, gold insignia flashing in the light of the comet, as he gripped a sword tightly.

Either Satomi or Du charged at Sokka as he swung his sword up to meet the soldiers fire blast and was pushed back a few paces, the handle of his sword becoming unpleasantly hot under his grip. He stepped forward in the break, slamming the hilt up into the firebenders chin and they stumbled back, unconscious.

The other one took that chance to punch fire at his back, and Sokka let out a scream as it burnt through the thin fabric of his shirt, thankfully dying out when it hit the stolen armour.

Well, it makes sense for the armour to be fireproof, considering all the  _ live fire _ .

Toph growled angrily, and stomped on the metal flooring, sending a spike of metal towards the firebender, and catching them in the shoulder. They let out a gasp-scream, and shot a stream of fire at Toph, who was defended by Katara and a handy water wall, leaving  _ her _ undefended as a spear shot forward from one of the three soldiers hassling Katara to catch her in the leg. 

She yelped, and crashed down to one knee with an awful crack; the waterwall falling briefly before she slammed it up again and lashed out, swiping the three soldiers on her side of the airship overboard along with all of her water.

Toph cracked her knuckles and shot her hands forward, catching the soldier with the gold insignia in the chest with a wave of metal, and sending him tumbling over the cabin, to land with a sickening crack on the edge of the airship before ragdolling off the side.

A shout of “ _ Wing Commander Saito down! _ ” echoed over the ship, and the remaining five soldiers glanced warily at each other before taking their chances with the ocean below, shedding armour as they ran to the sides and leapt off.

Toph hurried over to Katara, and twisted a patch of metal around her leg in a makeshift cast before helping her up.

Sokka staggered to the cabin, his back aching with the constant  _ look-at-me _ of the burn, and threw open the door, hurrying towards the cockpit and the controls of the airship.

Toph set Katara down in the chair and peeled the metal of the makeshift cast off.

“Toph. I need water.” Katara’s voice was strained.

“ _ Where _ ? It’s not like I can  _ see _ anything!” Toph growled in response.

“Try the ballast - it's either water or sand and water is easier to pick up over the ocean.” Sokka yelled, pushing a lever that sent the airship flying through the air towards the main fleet.

She hurried off, cloudy eyes wider than usual in search of water.

“Which one do you think is Ozais?” 

Katara looked up from applying pressure and a corner of her shirt to her wound.

“Umm...Centre?”

“Yeah. It's  _ covered  _ with gold. Like could he make it anymore obvious?” 

Katara snickered lightly.

Toph hurried back in, holding a makeshift and slightly lopsided bowl in her hands that was full of water as well as Katara’s now full waterskin.

“Here.”

“Tui and  _ La _ thank you Toph!” The water around Katara’s hands glowed blue as skin reformed under her hands, slightly pinkish but whole. “Sokka?”

“ _ Please  _ ‘Tara.”

She moved the water over to his back, and he almost groaned with relief at the feeling of cold water on the burn.

Toph quietly remade the cast on Katara’s very much broken leg.

“So what are we doing?” Toph asked.

“Heading for Ozai’s ship, Toph, you keep them distracted and Katara and I...well, you know...” He trailed off.

“No way! I’m not leaving you to...to get burnt to death!” Toph was immediately on her feet, and furious. “Is this because I’m a kid? Is that it? You don’t think I can handle myself?”

Sokka groaned. “Toph, we all know that you are terrifying - but you’re  _ twelve _ ! You shouldn’t have to deal with megalomaniac Fire Lords. And we won’t get burnt to death.” 

“You don’t know that though!”

“Yes I do. On the horizon, the Earth Kingdom just came into view. All the firebenders are going to be getting ready to burn it down.”

“Oh.” Toph was back to being quiet again.

“And hey, we survived Azula and Zuko and well, everything. We’re not gonna die that easily.”

Toph nodded, eyes focussed just a little above Sokka.

Katara sighed into the quiet. “I wish Aang was here.”

“Same.”

“Where  _ is _ twinkletoes anyway?” Toph piped up.

Sokka shrugged and pulled the controls sharply to the right, dragging the airship over the air fleet; cutting the tops of several airships open and sending them spiralling down towards the roiling ocean below, in plumes of thick black smoke.

Toph cracked her knuckles and grabbed onto Katara as she leapt onto the central airship, throwing soldiers overboard with a flick of her wrist. 

Toph followed suit, sending waves through the metal floor and sending soldiers flying.

Sokka jumped down, arms windmilling as he landed awkwardly on his ankle and winced at the spike of pain that shot up through it before jumping into battle with a swing of his sword that snapped a soldier's spear in two. 

_ Ha! Take that Fire Nation! _

The soldier retaliated by punching fire at him and  _ of course they left some firebenders behind as defense _ .

Sokka ducked, which, judging by the utter bafflement on the soldiers face, he wasn't supposed to do. He then jumped up and kicked the soldier back. By a centimeter.  _ Damn stances _ .

The soldier stepped forward, and Sokka dropped down, and did a low spin-kick, knocking the soldier over...the side of the airship. That wasn’t supposed to happen. But. Oh well.

He ran for the cabin door, Katara on his heels as Toph punched soldier after soldier off the airship and out of their path.

The door opened, which...wasn’t what Sokka expected but yay?

And that was Ozai.

Back facing them and looking...less evil than Sokka though he’d be. There was lots of red and black and gold and possible cultural appropriation coming from the hairstyle of the servant who was dusting down his armour, but Ozai was  _ shorter _ than Sokka expected. And less menacing. Koh, Aang’s noodle portrait was more intimidating.

Sokka pulled boomerang out of his pocket, and aimed it carefully. He let it fly and...

Ozai spun around and caught it.

Sokka boggled even as Katara readied to lash out with a water whip.

“No Avatar? Hiding again is he?”

Katara bristled. “Aang would  _ never _ hide!”

“Then what was the last hundred years? Do... _ enlighten _ me.”

Katara spluttered incoherently and flicked her wrist angrily, sending a water whip at Ozai, who waved his hand and enveloped it in a wave of fire, evaporating the water. He then sent a wave of fire at them.

Sokka snapped out of his bemusement and rolled under the wave of fire, pulling his sword up and falling comfortably into a basic stance.

“How  _ quaint _ .”

Ozai punched fire at him, sending Sokka stumbling back a few paces, with Katara flipping her arm out and sending spikes of ice flying at him. Ozai whipped a hand up, melting them back into water even as Katara rolled past him, to send a stream of water at his back. Ozai spun, sending three fireballs in quick succession at Katara before kicking out at Sokka, and sending his sword flying into a wall before hurling boomerang into the ocean and advancing on him.

-|-

Aang jumped into the air, his staff opening, to avoid being hit by the wave that came flooding at him when the half-airship  _ and how had that happened _ smashed into the ocean. Above him, the fleet was looking rather ragged - half of the ships were wallowing in the air, black smoke drifting out from various points, there were empty spaces in the formation where ships had fallen out of the sky and hit the ocean, and the remaining ships were wheeling around the central one, tiny specks in red armour leaping onto the central ship.

Aang leapt up, praying to Qiūtiān De Nǚshì silently for his friends to be safe, and flew up towards the main ship, dodging the soldiers who occasionally went tumbling over the side.

A speck of silver hurtled out of a window, followed by Sokka’s sword.

Aang hurtled forward, landing on the deck with a light thud.

“Twinkletoes!” Toph’s jubilant cry was cut short as a knife came flying her way, and Aang sent an airslice to throw it off course. “The others are in the cabin. Go, I can handle it.”

Aang bit his lip worriedly and hurried off down, leaving Toph to deal with the steadily decreasing amount of soldiers crowding her.

-|-

A burst of fire caught Katara’s wrist, and she yelped before sending more ice spikes after Ozai. Sokka yanked the sword out of the wall, and charged forward with a cry, and a wink at Katara.

Ozai twisted to block Sokka’s attack, and Katara hurled more ice spikes at him, this time splitting the swarm, so half went arcing around him to Ozai’s back, and the other half flew towards Ozai’s side.

He missed three.

Blood pooled onto red robes as Katara’s ice spikes struck true, and Ozai growled softly before twisting his hands in a complex motion that Katara and Sokka vaguely recognised as lightning.

The bolt broke through the air with an ear splitting crack, as Sokka threw his sword, catching the lightning before it hit Katara and flying out the now broken window.

Ozai turned on him.

_ That maybe wasn’t a good idea… _

Sokka gulped and backed up against the wall, which was wood he was just realising.

Ozai moved again, seed lightning crackling around his hands.

Katara’s eyes widened in horror as she frantically pulled water from the air.

And Sokka was pushed to the side just as the lightning struck where he had been.

Aang stood in the doorway, staff readied in defense.

“Aang!” Katara and Sokka’s voices blended together at the sight of their friend.

Ozai raised an eyebrow and sent a stream of fire at Aang who parted it before taking a deep breath, and, looking rather sick, twisted his hands clumsily and pulled the air from Ozai’s lungs.

The Fire Lord fell to the floor, unconscious.

Toph charged down the steps, unseeing eyes wide.

“I heard thunder. Everyone OK?”

“Yeah Toph, Yeah.” Sokka replied quietly as she pulled metal from under the wood flooring up with tremendous screech and crack of wood paneling before twisting it around Ozai in a mockery of Katara’s makeshift cast.

“Toph! You’ve been hit.” Katara exclaimed.

“Magic water me up then Sugar Queen.”

Katara weaved the water over the burn on Toph’s cheek and the weeping cut in her arm.

“What now?” Aang asked.

“Aang, you’re the only one who can fly. Take Fire Lord Crazy down to the rendezvous point and keep him unconscious. We’ll take care of the rest of the fleet.” Sokka grinned.

“I hope Iroh’s doing OK.” Katara said, taking down the mood by several degrees as the four stared at each other.

“He’ll be fine.” Toph hand waived the issue aside. “He has that flower friend with him.”

Aang smiled slightly disbelievingly at the fact that they’d  _ won _ . It was over. And.. he hadn’t needed to kill anyone.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so, imma be using a LOT of irl places, gods, names ect. And I have no real knowledge of any thing and I’m v poor so sorry for mistakes????  
> Also google tells me Qiūtiān De Nǚshì means lady of autumn or autumn lady sooooo  
> Worth saying that I’m giving all the different cultures dual main gods.


End file.
